Lake County, OH

Lake County’s decision tension is a respectable gross-rent screen against costs and evidence that needs parcel-level confirmation. Zillow’s 2026-06 county median home value is $253,127, up 3.37% year over year; its median asking rent is $1,403 per month and stated gross yield is 6.65%. FHFA’s 2025 annual repeat-transaction HPI rose 4.91%, directionally consistent with appreciation but neither a dollar value nor the same observation period as Zillow. Buyers who can diligence carrying costs and flood exposure should investigate; buyers requiring established net cash flow should be cautious.

The gross-yield figure is before costs. Effective property tax is 1.62%, with $3,475 median annual tax, making assessment review material to the rent screen. HUD’s two-bedroom FMR is $1,279 per month, a payment standard rather than a market asking-rent estimate, and cannot be used to derive rent or yield. Inland flood is the dominant hazard; modeled expected annual building-value loss is 0.08%. Insurance, maintenance, financing and parcel-level assessment evidence are not published, preventing a net-yield conclusion.

The demand picture is not a completed-sales read. QCEW’s 2025 annual average shows covered employment at county workplaces increased; Manufacturing is the largest disclosed private supersector, not a measure of the whole economy or resident employment. Realtor.com’s 2026-06 MLS data show 332 active listings and a 17.39% price-reduced share. This places workplace job growth beside visible supply and seller concessions, but listings, inventory and reductions are not closed-sale prices or proof of buyer demand. Closed-sale comparables, submarket vacancy and lease-renewal data are not published, preventing an occupancy and exit-price underwriting view.

Tax-return household migration is slightly positive, with net migration of 248, but incoming movers’ average AGI was $1,111 lower than outgoing movers’, limiting any simple demand-quality inference. Non-owner-occupant purchase mortgages were 148 of 2,749 total purchase mortgages, or 5.38%, indicating participation without establishing competitive pressure for a specific property. Next checks are flood maps and loss details, insurance quotes, assessed value and tax history, rent comparables, current leases, and closed-sale comparables. Without them, net income, hazard retention and exit pricing remain unresolved.